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Episode 1536 (24 November 1997)
Synopsis Ian's having trouble with the children wailing and asking why mummy doesn't come to visit them, and doesn't she like them any more? In the Vic, they discuss Bianca's baby, and bet on whether it's a boy or a girl. Grant says it can't be a boy, because it might be ginger and that would be terrible. Pat looks at Grant and replies pointedly it's better than no hair at all. She says it's lucky they didn't have scans in Peggy's day or she'd have seen what her sons were going to look like! There are various wagers placed on whether it's a boy or girl. Grant has Courtney because Tiffany has chicken pox. He tells Phil she looks terrible, and Phil says "put a bag over her head, and she'll be OK." Grant says he's looking after the baby, "and it's a doddle." Peggy comments "typical man," with a "just you wait" look on her face. Ian is centre page news when Annie gives the story about Cindy being arrested to the Gazette. People read it and say it makes Ian sound like a real hero rescuing his children and getting Cindy arrested. Annie looks smug, but Ian spends the morning searching for her and doesn't look like he's going to congratulate her. Sonia borrows Bianca's perfume to help Clare attract Josh, and douses Clare in it, then invites Josh to the café with them to discuss clubs. Josh's group are looking for venues to play so Sonia tells them she knows lots of clubs. Clare is standing by dumbly looking lovestruck. Then, as Clare and Josh go into the café, she suddenly "remembers" an appointment to accompany Bianca to the hospital for her first scan. As she walks off Robbie says Clare has no chance with Josh. Sonia says nonsense, she's really pretty, and Robbie's just jealous. He is carrying around a book of love poetry as he sits in the café gazing at Mary working. She finally comes over to give him a cup of tea free, and looks at the book and tells him she hates that Victorian slop, and if you want sex, why not just write about sex instead of that rubbish. Robbie mopes around Bianca's stall, saying that Mary won't look at him anyway, as he's stupid, unemployed, and ugly. Bianca brightly tells him that he needs a job, and how about looking after the stall this afternoon while she's at the hospital? She offers £5 and he says no, so she says 6 is the limit. Robbie is desperate, so accepts. Bianca chats to Pat in the café, saying she'd like a girl really, although she hasn't told anyone before because she's superstitious. In the Arches, Ricky tells Phil he'd like a boy. He also dashes off early before picking Bianca up for the hospital visit to collect a large cot and various toys. He shows Bianca this as she's moaning about him being late for their appointment, and she's thrilled. Miss Haye returns the video to Nigel, apologising that it's a bit late. He says he hoped she enjoyed it and she laughs "Yes, there's nothing like a bit of soft porn." Nigel looks horribly embarrassed again. Nigel asks her how she likes living round here, and is she settling in, and she replies that she's only renting and isn't planning to stay long. She asks about Nigel and he says he's a permanent fixture here. She says in that case, she'd like to pick his brains sometime, as she has to write a local history school play, and needs to find out something about the area. Nigel says any time, and they could go to the Vic - there's nothing like meeting the local colour to really get a feel for the place. She hurries off, saying that she is busy right now, but maybe some other time. Nigel sees Clare and Sonia and says their teacher is really nice, not like the ones he used to have, spindly old women with greasy hair and dandruff. Sonia replies "Give her a couple of years and she'll get there." Annie is just getting a drink at the bar in the Vic, which Phil is propping up as usual, and Ian walks in and says "Can I have a word?" Annie immediately sits down with him, and Ian says angrily that he received a letter this morning, saying that she had applied for planning permission for a restaurant in the Square. She says that's right, and she hopes he will support it. Ian says it will be in direct competition with his business, and she never mentioned it and she's done the dirty on him. He says he doesn't know if he can trust her now. She says she thinks it will be good for the Square, and it will be appealing to a totally different market to a fish and chip shop and a greasy spoon café. She adds that she had hoped perhaps he would like to come into partnership with her on it. Ian says he thinks it would be a conflict of interest with the residents' association. She says that it wouldn't do his political career any harm to be a successful restauranteur rather than owner of a greasy chippy. He concedes this, and asks why she hadn't approached him before. She says she's telling him now. Ian says he will consider it but to be fair he will still have to call a residents' meeting about the planning permission. Annie says, of course, she wouldn't expect anything less, but she doesn't look too pleased. She goes to the bar for another orange juice, and Phil says Ian seems to have it made, he clicks his fingers and she comes running. Annie says it was business, and his wife might also be concerned as she will be setting up a restaurant. Phil says it doesn't seem Annie's style - not enough money in it. Bianca and Ricky go to the hospital and the nurse scans over her pregnant mound. They see the pictures of the baby, and ask what sex it is. The nurse says oh, I just saw it then... then she suddenly stops and says "Excuse me a minute. I have to call the consultant." She returns and Bianca looks worried and says it will be OK won't it? The nurse says you'll have to talk to the consultant. Ricky asks is it a boy or a girl? The nurse replies carelessly as if it is irrelevant anyhow, oh, a girl. The doctor calls them into the office and says he has to tell them that the baby is defective. He continues that the vertebrae are malformed so it has spina bifida and will be physically handicapped. Also, it has an associated problem of hydrocephaly so will have brain damage. They ask if there is anything he can do, saying there must be drugs or something. He says no, nothing at all, although they can operate immediately it is born, but a child with both these conditions will require countless operations and will always require round-the-clock total care as it will be severely mentally and physically handicapped. Still, at least they know and the hospital can arrange a termination within a few days if that is what they decide. Bianca screeches that she's not going to give up her baby, and they will have it. The doctor says it's her choice but he must stress it will be severely physically and mentally handicapped, and he suggests they go away and think about it. Credits Main cast *Ian Beale - Adam Woodyatt *Steven Beale - Stuart Stevens *Peter Beale - Alex Stevens *Lucy Beale - Casey Anne Rothery *Grant Mitchell - Ross Kemp *Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement *Courtney Mitchell - Carissa O'Meara and Josephine O'Meara *Phil Mitchell - Steve McFadden *Peggy Mitchell - Barbara Windsor *Annie Palmer - Nadia Sawalha * Sonia Jackson - Natalie Cassidy * Clare Bates - Gemma Bissix * Robbie Jackson - Dean Gaffney * Mary Flaherty - Melanie Clark Pullen * Bianca Butcher - Patsy Palmer * Pat Evans - Pam St. Clement * Ricky Butcher - Sid Owen * Nigel Bates - Paul Bradley Guest cast * Josh Saunders - Jon Lee * Julie Haye - Karen Henthorn * Category:Episode Category:1997 Episodes